EPIGEFXY · Epigenetic regulation of the sex chromosomes and male infertility

Human infertility affects ~15% of couples, each partner being equally likely to be affected. Sperm differentiation anomalies such as sperm absence, malformation or reduced motility, are commonly found in infertile men but their cause remains unknown in ~75% of the cases. In mammals, sperm differentiation requires a high proportion of genes located on the sex chromosomes and a tight epigenetic control of their expression. Alterations of the epigenetic marks associated with these spermiogenic genes are expected to contribute significantly to male infertility. The aim of our proposal is to understand the epigenetic regulation of sex chromosomes during sperm differentiation and its impact on male infertility. We will first investigate this process using innovative mouse models